POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR REMEDIES 133 



Skin Diseases. There are but three skin diseases that trouble 

 chickens and in nearly all cases their presence is due to some irritant, 

 more often dirt. Chicken pox is the most prevalent of the skin dis- 

 eases. The eruption may extend all over the body, under the wings 

 and wherever there is fluff, but is generally confined to the face and 

 comb. 



Chicken pox it known by its scabby ulcers appearing in any part 

 of the body; a dirty sticky liquid issues from the ulcers, drying on 

 the surface and forming a dirty looking scab. The disease differs 

 from White Comb, in so far as the last named ulcers come to a 

 point and chicken pox does not; it just spreads. 



The fowls are thirsty from a rise in temperature. Give a little 

 aconite in the drinking water or mix a little magnesia in the mash 

 feed once or twice to cool the blood. A little sulphur also is good 

 and for the sores carbolated vaseline put on warm so that it will coat 

 itself over is about the very best external remedy. But everything 

 must be cleaned up, all dirty litter, etc., and spray the yards with sulphuric 

 acid spray. 



Fish Skin and Scaly Leg. Fish skin and scaly leg differ so little 

 in appearance that it requires an expert to distinguish one from the 

 other. And yet in one case there is insect life at work, as in scaly 

 leg, and the other seems to be due to some functional disturbance in 

 the health of the bird. In fish skin disease it is well to tone up the 

 birds by a little better diet and annoint the legs with a mild ointment 

 made by melting a little lard and stirring in a few drops of creolin. 



For Scaly Leg. Wash the legs and feet in strong soap suds, rub 

 the legs when dry with carbolated vaseline or an ointment made by 

 mixing coal oil, lard and sulphur in equal parts, keep the treatment 

 up until the legs are clean. 



Eczema. While eczema is called a skin disease, it is generally a 

 sign of overfeeding of some nitrogenous food, therefore is more of a 

 constitutional nature, though it focuses itself on the skin. Generally 

 on the wattles and face. 



There are generally several fine points raised on the skin. These 

 fill with a thin fluid which, when they break, run into each other; the 

 fluid runs out and forms a scab that hardens. 



Give from ten to fifteen grains of Epsom salts in a little mash, 

 and homeopathic pellets of nitric acid in the drinking water. Anoint 

 the sores with carbolated vaseline, and improve the diet of the fowls 

 by feeding more vegetable food, roots, etc. 



Useful Poultry Remedies 



For Roup: Spongia; Hepar-Sulph and arsenicum. 

 For Swelled Head when no roup smell is present : Bryonia, and aconite. 

 Other remedies : Epsom salts, peroxide of hydrogen, coal oil, etc. 



